Inflating and gauging device



July 19, 1949.- J. c.- cRowLEY 2,475,706

INFLATING AND GAUGING DEVICE Filed Feb. 4, 194e' INVENTOR. JHH C. CROWLEY Patented `uly 19, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INFLATING AND GAUGING DEVICE John C. Crowley, Willoughby, Ohio, assignor to The Dill Manufacturing Company, Cleveland,- Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application February 4, 1946, S'erial No. 645,412

6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to an inflating and gauging device and particularly to a device used in combination with an air line for inflating articles such as tires and for gauging the pressures in the inated articles.

An object of the invention is to provide an inflating and vgauging device of the type referredV toand which device is ofrsimple construction, is easily assembled and disassembled, and can be readily operated by the user, thus facilitating the inflating of tires or other inflatable articles.

Another object is to provide an inflating and gauging device of the type referred-to which can be incorporated in an air line and which is so constructed thatthe user can grasp the device with one hand and by means of a squeezing action of said one hand control the inating or gauging functions of the device.

Another object is to provide an inating andgauging device of the type referred to and whereinthe gauge can be readily mounted in or removed from the device, since it is supported by the edges of the side walls of the housing of thedevice and is held in position by the removable cover.

Further and additional objects and advantages not hereinbefore referred to will become apparent hereinafter during the detailed description of an embodiment of the invention which is to follow.

Referring to the accompanying drawing illustrating said embodiment of the invention,

Fig. l is a longitudinal sectional view through an. inating and gauging device constructed in accordance with the invention. l

, Fig. 2 is atop plan view of the device shown in Fig. 1, and A Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are transverse vertical sectional views taken respectively on lines 3--3, 4,-4 and 5 5 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

The device comprises a housing of generally U-shaped cross-section and which has a bottom wall I0, side walls I I and I2 and at one end a curved end wall I3. The bottom wall l!) of the housing is provided with an elongated opening I4 in that portion of the bottom wall that is infclinedupwardly as viewed inthe drawings andV as indicated at a. The U-shaped housing at the end thereof opposite to the end. wall I3 embraces a circular tting MI5' and. is secured thereto by screws I6 or by other suitable securing mean-sr The tting I5 is provided with atapped counteri bore I1 by means of' which an air line (notshown) is connected tothe device andwhich air line eX-f tends to a source of supply of` compressed air or Y 2 A other pressure fluid. The fitting l5 is providedv witha bore I6 communicatingwith the aco'uiiterjl bore Il and with counterbores Ill-and formed. in the inner end of the fitting. The counterboe 2d is threaded and has screwed therein a nut 2l' of a chuck assembly, said nut acting to clamp in the counterbore 20 between an internal shoulder of the nut and a shoulder at the base" of said counterbore suitable packing 22 arranged on opposite sides of a sleeved washer 23. The chuck assembly includes a chuck valve having a valve head 2t located in the counterbore I9 and:v

adapted to seat on the packing 22 and a valve pin 25 which extends through the sleeve of the adjacent the right hand end of the device as shown in Figs. l and 2A. The side walls of theA cover 2'6 form continuations of the side walls II and I2 of the housing when the cover is secured to the housing. Thev cover 26 isfprovided adjacent its right hand end with a window opening 3U and has secured to its underside and beneathsaid window a U-shaped member 3l, tvbeing'- noted Athat said member is'provided withal-langes along its opposite longitudinal edges which underlie the cover 26 and are secured thereto by suitable screws 32 or other means. A glass or.A

other suitable transparent window 33 is provided for the window opening 30 and it will be noted that said window is semi-circular in cross-section with its dat side closing the upper side of theA member 3l and that said member when secured in position secures Ythe window in position. a

A pressure gauge is mounted in the device and comp-rises a chuck portion 34 which is provided with laterally extending integral rectangular lugs or keys 35 that rest upon the upper edges of the side walls of the housing and intert recesses formed in the lower edges of the cover, see Fig rhe chuck portion 34 of the pressure gauge comprises a disk 36 held in position in a counterbore formed in the chuck portion 34 and provided with one or morefopenings 31 that communicate with the bore in the inner end of the chuckportion as will be well understood. The disk 36"` is held inaposition in the chuck portion by a packing ring 38 and a clamping sleeve or nut 39. The

3 disk 35 is provided with a pin 36a that extends through the packing ring 38 and into the packing sleeve or nut 39.

A tubular casing 40 is secured at one end to the chuck portion 34 of the gauge and mounts in its opposite end a closure member 4l which is provided with a central opening and has a pointer nger 42 projecting forwardly beneath the window 33 of the window opening 30. The closure member 4| has lugs or keys 35, as does the chuck portion 34, engaging in recesses in the lower edges of the cover and resting upon the upper edges of the side wall of the housing. Hence the gauge may be mounted in or removed from the device readily by removing the cover. The tubular casing 40 slidably supports a gauge piston assembly 43 which need not be described in detail herein since it is well understood and forms no part per se of the present invention. The piston assembly 43 is operatively and adjustably connected with a movable bar 44 that moves linearly through the opening in the closure member 4| and is provided with a gauge plate 45 bearing suitable indicia which cooperate with the pointer 42 to show the pressure reading of the gauge through the window 33.

A coil spring 46 mounted in the casing 4U and surrounding the bar 44 abuts the piston assembly 43 and the closure member 4I and exerts a predetermined resistance to theV movement of the piston toward the right as viewed in the drawing and under the pressure of the air or pressure uid.

A body member 41 is movably mounted in the device and has longitudinally aligned extensions 48 and 49 which slidably interiit, respectively, the central openings in the nut member 2l and in the clamping sleeve 39. A passage B extends through the member 41, and the extensions 48 and 49 with the portions of said passage within the extensionsY shaped and formed to have mounted therein conventional valve cores or insides 5I and 52 the pins of which extend, respectively, toward and align with the pin 25 and the pin 36a. A coil spring 53 surrounds the extension 48 of the body 41 and abuts the nut 2l and a shoulder on the body and acts to normally maintain the body 41 in its most right hand position as shown in Fig. 1, at which time the pin of the valve core 52 is engaged with and depressed by the pin 36a to maintain the valve of said valve core unseated, wherefore the interior of the gauge is normally in communication with the passage 50 in the body. When the body 41 is moved toward the left against the action of the coil spring 53 the valve of the core 52 can then seat and interrupt communication between the passage 5!! and the gauge. At this time, however, the passage 50 is in communication with the bore and counterbores of the fitting I5 and with the air line since the pin of the valve core 5 i has eng-aged the pin 25, with the result that the valve of the core 5| is unseated as is also the valve 24 of the chuck assembly.

rIhe body 41 is provided with a passage 54 communicating with the passage 50 and extending transversely thereof and also communicating with a threaded tapered counterbore into which screws the threaded tapered end of a tube 55. The tube 55 extends longitudinally through the housing toward the right and passes outwardly thereof through an opening 56 in the end wall I 3 of the housing. The outer end of the tube is adapted to be connected to a short length of air hose, not shown, and which carries on its outer end the usual air chuck that can be applied to the valve stem of the tire or other article to be inated as will be well understood. The tube 55 passes through and is clamped in a block 51 by means of a pin 58 which also serves to mount the block between the side walls 59 of a trigger member which is substantially U -shaped in cross-section and which is located in the opening i4 of the bottom wall i0 of the housing and which trigger member has its bottom wall 6U extending below the plane of said bottom wall portion Ilia.. The side walls 5S of the trigger member at the location of the block 51 are extended upwardly within the housing and the cover 26 as indicated at 59a. The upwardly extending side walls 59a of the trigger member are provided with openings through which extend pins Si, the heads of which pins are mounted in openings formed by cooperating semi-circular recesses in the side walls Il and I2 of the housing and in the side walls of the top 26.

It will thus be seen that the trigger member can be rocked upwardly, as viewed in Fig. 1, about the axis of the pins 6i and since the tube 55 is clamped in the block 51 such rocking movement of the trigger member 60 will move the tube 55 and the body 41 from the position shown in Fig. 1 and against the action of the spring 53 into a position wherein the valve of the valve core 5| is unseated, it being recalled that at this time the valve of the valve core 52 will be seated.

Assuming that the iittingA I5 is connected to an air line and that the outer end of the tube 55 is connected to an air hose provided on its end with an air chuck, the operator applies such air chuck to the valve stem of the tire or article to merely squeezing his hand which holds the device to rock the trigger member 60 upwardly from its normal position indicated in Fig. l. As already intimated this upward rocking movement of the trigger member 60 effects seating' of the valve of the valve core 52 and an unseating of the valve of the valve core 5I, wherefore the gauge is out of communication with the passage 58 while the air-line is in communication with said passage and hence the compressed air or pressure uid can ow through the body member 41 and through the tube 55 and into the tire. At any time the operator wishes to stop the inflation of the tire or article he merely releases the squeezing action of his hand on the trigger 60, whereupon the spring 53 restores the parts to the relationship shown in Fig. 1 and at such time the passage 50 is out of communication with the air line but the gauge is in communication with the passage 50, tube 55 and the interior of the tire since the valve of the core 52 is now open. Thus the operator at such time can readily ascertain the inflated pressure in the tire by reading the gauge through the window 33.

From the foregoing it will be evident that the device embodying the invention when incorporated in an air line can be readily operated by the operator with a single hand and that the inating or gauging functions of the device can be attained simply by a squeezing or releasing movement of the hand. It will also be noted that the parts of the device in large measure are formed of readily manufactured stampings and that said parts can be readily'assembled and disassembled. In aysldition,it-1Y will; be noted that the cover 26 can be quickly removed from the Hellsing,- after which the gauge can be easily removed for replacement or adjustment purposes. Similarly, the valve cores l and'Z `can be readily replacedshould the necessity for so doing occur. The` d'cviceis of simple cpisiruction, dees not include parts Vwhich can getk .of order readily andv provides anY eilicir-mt,*easilyl 'operated device for `iniiating'. and gauging a tire or" other article.

Although a preferredembodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described herein it will be understood that the invention is susceptible of various modifications and adaptations Within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An iniiating and gauging device comprising an elongated relatively narrow housing having an opening in a wall thereof, a cover for said housing provided with a window, a iitting mounted in and extending outwardly of one end of said housing and adapted to have its outer end connected to an air line and provided at its inner end with a chuck assembly, a tube in and extending outwardly of the opposite end of said housing and adapted to have its outer end connected to an air hose provided with an inflating chuck, a pressure gauge in said housing provided with a chuck portion and having an indicating member visible through said window, a body movable in said housing and having a pair of extensions slidably interfitting said chuck assembly and said chuck portion, said body and extensions having a passage therethrough in which are mounted a pair of valve cores, one core cooperating with said chuck assembly and the other core with said chuck portion, a spring normally maintaining said body in a position to cause seating of the valve of said one core and unseating of the valve of said other core, said body being provided with a. second passage communicating with said iirst passage intermediate said cores, the inner end of said tube being connected to said body and in communication with said second passage, an actuating member movably mounted in said housing and extending through said wall opening, and means carried by said actuating member and movable therewith and operatively connected directly to said tube whereby movement of said actuating member in one direction moves said tube and said body from normal position to a position effecting unseating of the valve of said one core and seating of the valve of said other core.

2. An inflating and gauging device comprising an elongated relatively narrow housing having an opening in its bottom wall, a cover for the top of said housing provided with a window, a tting mounted in and extending outwardly of one end of said housing and adapted to have its outer end connected to an air line and provided at its inner end with a chuck assembly, a tube in said housing and extending outwardly of the opposite end of said housing and adapted to have its outer end connected to an air hose provided with an infiating chuck, a pressure gauge in said housing provided with a chuck portion and having an indicating member visible through said window, a body movable in said housing and having a pair of extensions slidably intertting said chuck assembly and said chuck portion, said body and extensions having a passage therethrough adapted to mount a pair of valve cores, one core cooperating with said chuck assembly and the Cil other-'curewitl'rfsaid chuckpci-tien,y aspringnew mally maintaining` said.' body-in a position` cause seating of: the valve lcf said oneccreandfunseating of the valve of saidother core, said;

body being providedy with a secondpassag-e com-1 municating with iirst passage` intermediate said cores, the inner-end of' said: tube being-connected to said bcdyand communication 'withisaid second passage,` an actuating member hav-ing'-j a portionpivotally mounted in saidr housing :and a -portienextending-through saidY bottom` wali-T opening, and means kcarried by saidv actuatingv member andconnected directly to said tube whereby movement of said actuating member in one direction moves said tube and said body from normal position to a position electing unseating of the valve of said one core and seating of the valve of said other core.

3. An iniiating and gauging device comprising an elongated relatively narrow housing having an opening in its bottom wall, a cover for the top of said housing provided with a window, a iitting mounted in and extending outwardly of one end of said housing and adapted to have its outer end connected to an air line and provided at its inner end with a chuck assembly, a tube extending longitudinally in said housing and outwardly of the opposite end thereof and adapted to have its outer end connected to an air hose provided with an inflating chuck, a pressure gauge in said housing and provided with a chuck portion and having an indicating member visible through said window, said gauge being located above said tube and in spaced longitudinal alignment with said fitting, a body intermediate said fitting and said gauge and movable in said housing and having a pair of aligned extensions on opposite sides of said body which slidably intert said chuck assembly and said chuck portion, said body and extensions having a substantially straight passage therethrough adapted to mount a pair of valve cores, one core cooperating with said chuck assembly and the other core with said chuck portion, a spring normally maintaining said body in a position to effect seating of the valve of said one core and unseating of the valve of said other core, said body being provided with a second passage communicating with said iirst passage intermediate said cores, the inner end of said tube being connected to said body and in communication with said second passage, an actuating member having a portion pivotally mounted in said housing and a portion extending through said bottom wall opening, and means carried by said actuating member and connected to said tube whereby movement of said actuating member in one direction moves said tube and said body from normal position to a position to effect unseating of the valve of said one core and seating of the valve of said other core.

4. An inflating and gauging device as set forth in claim 3 and wherein said housing and said cover are substantially U-shaped in cross-section and when assembled together have their side walls forming plane surfaces, said actuating member also being substantially U-shaped in cross-section and having a portion of its bottom wall located outwardly of a portion of the bottom wall of the housing whereby an operator may grasp the device with one hand and operate or release the actuating member by a squeezing or releasing movement of said one hand.

5. An iniiating and gauging device as defined in claim 3 and wherein said pressure gauge is provided with key portions resting upon the upper 7. edges of the siden wallsA of the housing and extending into recesses formed in the lower edges of lthe side walls of said cover and wherein said` tially U-shaped element with said gauge indilo eating member movable ,in said element and beneath the window. Y s

. JOHN C. CROWLEY.

8 REFERENCES CITED The following references are vof record file of this patent'.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Y 1,765,850 Richardson June 24,1930 1,815,533 Vincent July 21, 1931 y2,040,868 Moody May, 1936 2,285,569 Crowley June 9, 1942 

